Pokémon: Starting as a Farmer Instead of a Trainer

Chapter 203 Mingyou's feelings for Xiaozhao, the arrival of the Queen of the Lace Crown (Seeking monthly votes)

The birthday party lasted until dinner, but it didn't last too long, since Xiao Zhaoming had to leave earlier and needed to rest early today.

After the event, Riolu and the others cleaned up the mess themselves, so Meiyou didn't need to do it. They made it, so it was their job.

After dinner, Xiao Zhao went to take a shower and go back to her room to rest, while Ming You, out of curiosity, asked Peng Peng where they got so many things, including the ingredients for making the cake.

"Hmm..."

Ponpon honestly admitted his mistake and confessed that they had taken the items from Taoze Store in Emerald Town.

Grandma Momozawa felt that the poisonous sticky cake incident had caused everyone a lot of trouble, so she was very grateful to Mingyou for helping to solve it. She didn't ask for money and gave them all the items, and she would also help buy them whatever they needed.

But Ponpo wouldn't take other people's things for free, so it secretly used Mingyou's account to pay with LP's money. It knew the payment password and everything, and Simocha even helped delete the payment record...

But since this matter had to be kept from Mingyou and Xiaozhao, it never said anything. The two of them were planting trees near the manor with the Circle Bears and didn't notice anything. They would also have the Greedy Squirrels secretly monitor them. Once they saw the two of them return, they would immediately notify them to clean up all traces of the kitchen.

"I see……"

Mingyou smiled calmly and reached out to pat Pengpeng's head. Although it was wrong to secretly use LP to buy things without telling him, the intention was good. Besides, he wouldn't criticize the other party for this.

"Get some rest early tonight. We'll go see Xiaozhao off together tomorrow morning."

"Mmm~"

The night passed uneventfully, and the Pokémon, having finished their birthday party, remained quiet, allowing the manor to be enveloped in a rare tranquil and warm atmosphere.

At midnight, light snow began to fall again. This might be the last snowfall of the winter. Snowflakes danced in the wind, which grew stronger.

When dawn broke, the manor was once again covered in snow. Mingyou stood by the window, watching the snowflakes falling like goose feathers, and sighed helplessly. The weather was truly unpredictable.

"They deliberately chose a day like this to let it snow..."

He shook his head, glanced at the time and saw that it was still early. After covering the still-sleepy Ponpo with the blanket that had been kicked off, he changed his clothes, left the room, and prepared to tidy up before making breakfast for Xiao Zhao.

As he passed by Xiao Zhao's room, he paused briefly before continuing on, but by sheer coincidence, the door suddenly opened.

Xiao Zhao had already changed her clothes and seemed to be heading to the restroom to freshen up when she bumped into Ming You at the door. A look of surprise flashed across her face, but after a moment of stunned silence, it quickly turned into a smile.

Good morning!

"Good morning~ Won't you rest a little longer? There's still some time before we get on the bus."

"Didn't you get up this early too? Did you want to make me breakfast so I could eat my fill before going out?"

"Well……"

Mingyou blushed, awkwardly looked away, and scratched her head, not expecting that her guess had been made.

Xiao Zhao smiled. Sometimes, the two of them would have surprisingly similar thoughts, so it wasn't hard to guess. She continued, "Let's go together. We still have time in the morning. I'll make you some sticky rice cake."

"good!"

"That was a quick answer..."

The two went to the restroom to wash up and tidy up. Mingyou finished quickly and noticed the girl's messy long hair that was draped over her shoulders. After hesitating for a moment, she walked up behind the girl and said softly, "Um..."

"What's wrong?"

Xiao Zhao was applying a face mask to moisturize her skin. She glanced at herself in the mirror with a puzzled look. Mingyou picked up a comb and continued, "If you don't mind... I'll comb your hair for you?"

"...No problem, just comb your hair straight, you don't need to tie it in a ponytail, I still need to wear a hat."

Xiao Zhao clearly hesitated for a second before agreeing, but her face was covered by a face mask, so her expression was not visible. However, her voice grew softer and softer as she answered.

Upon receiving the notification, Mingyou breathed a slight sigh of relief, then gently lifted the other person's beautiful long hair and combed it smoothly downwards.

The hair felt wonderful to the touch, and since the two of them were so close, he could clearly smell the lingering scent of shampoo and the faint fragrance emanating from the other person.

It was the first time Xiao Zhao had asked a boy to help her comb her hair, so she was a little nervous and even slowed down her movements when applying the face mask.

The atmosphere was awkward yet slightly ambiguous. Fortunately, Mingyou quickly helped to smooth her hair, stood behind her, looked at her through the mirror, and asked curiously, which broke the awkward silence.

"Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen you wear makeup before. Danyu always wears makeup when she goes out."

"Um……"

Xiao Zhao nodded slightly, removed the face mask, washed her face with warm water, took out a lip balm, gently applied it to her lips, pursed her lips, and then continued, "I don't know how to do makeup, and makeup products are too expensive for me to afford. Only when I participate in some activities at Blueberry Academy will female classmates help me with my makeup..."

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, turned around, and gently applied lipstick to Mingyou's lips, smiling as she said, "It's better to wear lipstick in winter, it's moisturizing. Your lips have been very dry these past few days. Remember to take good care of yourself while I'm not around!"

"Um...but this is yours..."

The incident happened so suddenly that Mingyou hadn't even had time to react. She pursed her lips, feeling the moisture from the lipstick.

Xiao Zhao belatedly realized that she had just used the lipstick, so she quickly waved her hand and gently pushed Mingyou out of the bathroom, closing the door and changing the subject: "You go to the kitchen first, I... I'll just go to the toilet and be right back, that's all!"

"..."

Mingyou stood at the door, his hand gently touching his face, feeling the warmth. He stood there for a long time, until he saw Pengpeng leave the room, before he finally left...

Neither of them mentioned what happened in the bathroom afterward, and breakfast ended quietly.

Looking at the time, Xiao Zhao went back to her room and took down her backpack and suitcase. Mingyou was already waiting downstairs with everyone.

"Take everything, but don't forget anything important."

"Don't worry, but I still have some clothes and shoes in the room. Don't throw them away as trash, I'll need them when I come back."

"I won't touch your things without permission, and I'll clean your room regularly."

"Hmm~"

"Let's go then!"

The two rode on the Deer and slowed down, heading towards the North Street together. Many Pokémon followed along, intending to give them a ride.

The snowflakes continued to fall with the wind, and by the time they reached the bus stop on the north side of the street, they were covered with a thin layer of snow.

The bus driver, who was waiting for passengers to board and depart on time, was so startled by the sudden appearance of so many Pokémon that he almost stepped on the gas.

"That's enough for now."

"Um."

The two dismounted from the horned deer and looked at the snowflakes falling from the sky. Mingyou complained, "Couldn't we have better weather? It had to snow."

"We can't exactly call Groudon over, haha."

Xiao Zhao joked, and after hearing the bus horn, she looked at Mingyou, who was wearing her scarf, and said with a smile, "Then I'll get on the bus first. Let's video chat when we're free."

"Um."

"Mmm~"

With a reluctant expression, Ponpo stepped forward and hugged Xiaozhao. She reached out and touched her head, then looked at the horned deer and the others, saying, "And you too, live well in the manor and help Mingyou."

"Yo yo~"

"Hmm~"

Xiao Zhao nodded slightly, then looked at Ming You one last time. She gently brushed aside the wind-blown hair and draped it over her chest, her face flushed slightly as if from the cold. She asked softly, "Don't you have anything... to say to me?"

"..."

Mingyou hesitated, though he did have some things he wanted to say, but... he didn't have the courage to say them.

"Oh well……"

Xiao Zhao responded with a smile, but she was still a little disappointed. However, she understood that the other person must have a lot to say to her at this moment.

As she pulled her suitcase and was about to turn and walk toward the bus, Mingyou finally mustered up her courage, stepped forward, took the girl's hand, pulled her into her arms, and hugged her tightly.

"...Huh?"

Xiao Zhao was slightly taken aback, and her hand gripping the suitcase unconsciously loosened. It was all too sudden, and she was completely unprepared for it.

Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and they could almost feel each other's heartbeats. Then, Mingyou spoke softly, "Take care. If anything happens, feel free to contact me anytime. No matter where you are, we'll come to help you!"

"I……"

Listening to the other person's words, Xiao Zhao buried her head in the other person's chest, gently biting her lip, as if she had something on her mind that she wanted to say.

But in the end, she didn't muster the courage to say it. Instead, she stood on tiptoe, looked up, and whispered in Mingyou's ear, "Take care, you too!"

"Um!"

After a while, watching the bus drive away, Ponpo and the others felt a pang of sadness. After all, they had spent so much time together and they really liked Xiaozhao.

Mingyou too...

As he watched the bus gradually disappear from sight, he knew very well that after so many days together, his feelings for Xiao Zhao were no longer just simple friendship, but something much deeper...

However, this feeling is destined to remain buried in their hearts for the time being. Both of them have many things to do in this world!

He patted the increasingly thick snow off his clothes, his smile returning as he looked at Ponpo and the others, saying, "Cheer up, everyone! We can't let Xiao Zhao see you all looking so dejected!"

"Mmm~"

"Let's go home!"

Time flies. In the morning, Xiao Zhao left Beishang Township by bus, and in the afternoon, the same bus returned and slowly stopped on Beishang Street.

There wasn't a single customer upstairs... no, there was still one.

A Pokémon with a huge, dark green bud resembling a crown on its head slowly floated off the bus. Its enormous head, like an umbrella, completely blocked out the falling snowflakes.

It stopped, its majestic eyes sweeping over the snow-covered fields. It nodded in satisfaction. "This place is really beautiful. With the snow falling, it feels like coming home… So, where's that guy named Mingyou? Turnip is here!"

……

(End of this chapter)